Australia’s Usman Khawaja dug in to place Australia in management towards England after the hosts’ batting collapse within the second Ashes Test at Lord’s on Friday. Ashes-holders Australia have been strongly positioned at 130-2 of their second innings, a lead of 221 runs, when rain pressured an early near the third day’s play. Conditions for batting, with the floodlights switched on to counter the gloomy skies in London, have been difficult.

But Khawaja, whose hundred at Edgbaston final week helped Australia take a 1-0 lead within the five-match sequence, held agency to succeed in 58 not out at stumps. Steve Smith was unbeaten on six following his 110 in Australia’s first-innings 416.

Khawaja and fellow left-handed opener David Warner, who made an unusually restrained 25 off 76 balls, have been content material to defend in conventional Test-match style towards the transferring ball. And when Stuart Broad overpitched, Khawaja stylishly drove him by means of cover-point for 4.

Australia’s method was in marked distinction to the aggressive ‘Bazball’ model that led to a number of England top-order batsmen throwing away their wickets towards the brief ball on Thursday.

Khawaja was reprieved on 19 when he pulled quick bowler Josh Tongue to James Anderson at ahead sq. just for the ball to undergo the fingers of the England veteran, who didn’t seem to select up the ball early sufficient.

England ultimately broke by means of after repeatedly beating the skin edge when Ashes debutant Tongue nipped one again to have Warner lbw, leaving Australia 63-1. Marnus Labuschagne was given out lbw for simply three, just for the choice to be overturned on evaluation.

England collapse

Labuschagne, nevertheless, was dismissed for 30 when he steered Anderson to Harry Brook at backward level. But Khawaja, combining assault and defence, accomplished a 105-ball fifty, with 40 of his runs coming in boundaries.

Earlier, Mitchell Starc led the world Test champions’ cost as England collapsed to 325 all out in a subdued ambiance at Lord’s. The residence facet, who had resumed on 278-4, added 47 runs in 15.2 overs because the wickets tumbled, with Australia 91 runs forward on first innings.

Starc, the one change to the Australia XI that loved an exciting two-wicket win at Edgbaston, took 3-88 in 17 overs. “It’s a shame it finished early today but it was a really positive morning for us to bowl them out and have a bit of a lead,” Starc advised the BBC.

“Our top order capitalised on that early, there was some good bowling, pressure built but our guys got through that.”

Turning to England’s stoop, he added: “We knew if we could take a couple (of wickets) early and get some inroads into their tail, things could go the way they did.”

Several England batsmen, together with opener Ben Duckett, who was out for 98, fell right into a blatant hooking lure late on the second day. England suffered an additional setback off simply the second ball of Friday’s play when captain Ben Stokes fell for his in a single day 17.

A supply from left-arm categorical fast Starc leapt off a size and took the skin edge, with Cameron Green holding a pointy catch at second slip. It was a morale-boosting begin to the day for Australia, bidding for a primary Ashes sequence win in England in 22 years, after off-spinner Nathan Lyon was unable to take the sector after struggling a calf pressure.

England rising star Brook, 45 not out in a single day, accomplished a 63-ball fifty however his dedication to assault proved his undoing. Brook backed away from a brief Starc ball and tried to flat-bat the supply down the bottom, solely to slice to extra-cover, the place Australia captain Pat Cummins held a easy catch. At 293-6 England have been left seeking to Jonny Bairstow, the final of their specialist batsmen, to get on degree phrases.

Bairstow, nevertheless, had solely managed 16 when he chipped quick bowler Josh Hazlewood to Cummins at mid-on searching for fast runs with solely the decrease order for firm. Part-time spinner Travis Head, filling in for Lyon, took two wickets in 5 balls, a charging Ollie Robinson caught behind, earlier than Broad, beforehand shaken up a Green bouncer, was lbw.